Shia LaBeouf has insisted that he has few qualms about starring in Lars von Trier's raunchy drama Nymphomaniac.

The Lawless actor previously admitted he was "terrified" about filming some erotic scenes in the controversial Danish filmmaker's upcoming movie, which also stars Charlotte Gainsbourg and Stellan Skarsgard, but has now revealed that he would only take on that role after talking it over with girlfriend Karolyn Pho.

The 26-year-old told USA Today: "There are rules. I have ethics, I'm not completely out of my mind.

"But I don't think there's anything wrong with sex. Sex is beautiful if it's done right. And I wouldn't just do it for no reason. Sex is different than love, and there is a separation, and that middle gap is what the movie's about."

Shia - who next stars in Prohibition-era drama Lawless alongside Tom Hardy and Mia Wasikowska - doesn't court fame and fortune, preferring to hide out of the spotlight with Karolyn and look after his hydroponic fish farm.

"If I could give the money back and get all the credibility in the world that I'm seeking, I would do it tomorrow. In a heartbeat," he said.